The present invention relates to a magnetic disk apparatus which is mounted in or on a personal computer or the like and, in particular, relates to a magnetic disk apparatus with improved portability.
A conventional magnetic disk apparatus mounted in a personal computer or the like comprises a magnetic disk and magnetic heads which record and reproduce information on and from the magnetic disk. The magnetic disk and the magnetic heads are driven by a disk driving means and a head driving means, respectively. In addition, the magnetic heads are connected to an electronic circuit which reproduces information as an electric signal. The mechanical parts such as the magnetic disk, the magnetic heads, the disk driving means, and so forth, and the electric circuits are contained compactly in the same box so as to reduce the size of the magnetic disk apparatus. In another construction, the mechanical parts are contained in a box, and a board which supports electric circuits is secured to the box so as to reduce the size of the magnetic disk apparatus.
The small magnetic disk apparatus in such a construction is mounted in a personal computer which exchanges information therewith. When the magnetic disk apparatus is detachable from the personal computer, they can be independently handled. Thus, the design work and mounting work of the personal computer and the magnetic disk apparatus can be simplified.
However, as the size and the weight of the magnetic disk apparatus is reduced, its portability is becoming an important issue and thereby the following problems arise.
When the mechanical parts and the electric circuits are contained in the same box, since the number of component parts contained therein increases, the size and the weight of the overall magnetic disk apparatus cannot be satisfactorily reduced. Thus, the portability of the magnetic disk apparatus cannot be improved. In addition, even if the mechanical parts and the electric circuits are mounted in the same box with high density, heat generated from the electric circuits adversely affects the mechanical parts. Moreover, electromagnetic noise generated by the mechanical parts may cause the electric circuits to malfunction.
As described above, to reduce the size and the weight of the conventional magnetic disk apparatus, there are problems with respect to the number of the constituting parts, heat generation, and generation of electromagnetic noise. However, it is difficult to solve such problems by a design change of the magnetic disk apparatus.
The present invention has been made in view of the above described problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk apparatus for preventing the electric circuits from malfunctioning due to heat generated in the box and for further improving the portability thereof.